Hank Aguirre

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#bd5d29
bgcolor2=#003366
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Hank Aguirre


position=Pitcher
birthdate=January 31, 1931
city-state|Azusa|California
deathdate=death date and age|1994|9|1|1931|1|31
city-state|Bloomfield Hills|Michigan
bats=Right
throws=Left
debutdate=September 10
debutyear=by|1955
debutteam=Cleveland Indians
finaldate=June 24
finalyear=by|1970
finalteam=Chicago Cubs
stat1label=Wins-losses
stat1value=75-72
stat2label=ERA
stat2value=3.24
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=856
teams=
*Cleveland Indians (by|1955-by|1957)
*Detroit Tigers (by|1958-by|1967)
*Los Angeles Dodgers (by|1968)
*Chicago Cubs (by|1969-by|1970)
highlights=
* All-Star in 1962
* Led AL in ERA in 1962 with 2.21

Henry John "Hank" Aguirre (January 31, 1931 – September 5, 1994) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played with the Cleveland Indians (1955-57), Detroit Tigers (1958-67), Los Angeles Dodgers (1968), and Chicago Cubs (1969-1970). His last name was typically pronounced "ah-GEAR-ee".

Youth in Azusa, California

Nicknamed "Mex" because he was of Mexican descent, Aguirre was born on January 31, 1931, in Azusa, California to Jenny Alva and Joseph Aguirre. Joseph was born in Jalisco, Mexico in 1902 and emigrated with his family during the time of the Mexican Revolution. Joseph and Jenny had seven children. Henry or Hank Aguirre worked in his youth, making, packaging and delivering tortillas for his father's business, the "Aguirre Tortillas Factory" in San Gabriel, California. At 4 a.m., the young Aguirre would make deliveries -- mostly running -— before school. Hank attended and graduated from Mark Keppel High School in Alhambra in 1949 but his "goofy feet" (his words) prevented him from being selected to be part of the baseball team. Hank graduated from East Los Angeles Junior College in 1951.

Pitching career

As a rookie for the Cleveland Indians in by|1956, Aguirre struck out Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams the first time he faced him. After the game, Aguirre asked Williams to autograph the ball. Reluctantly, Williams complied. A couple of weeks later Aguirre faced Williams again. This time the "Splendid Splinter" smashed Aguirre's first offering for a home run. While circling the bases, Williams yelled to Aguirre, "Get that ball, and I'll sign it, too."

He pitched in the big leagues for 16 years for four different teams. Before the 1958 season began, Aguirre was traded to the Detroit Tigers, where he remained for 10 years from 1958-1967. Aguirre was principally a relief pitcher until by|1962. During a 1962 game at Yankee Stadium, Tigers manager Bob Scheffing used him as a starter when Don Mossi had arm trouble. Scheffing wanted a left-hander to pitch against the Yankees, and he chose Aguirre. Aguirre joined the Tigers starting rotation and finished the 1962 season with a 2.21 earned run average in 42 games (22 as a starter), the best in Detroit since Hal Newhouser in 1946. Having pitched over 100 innings (216 in total) for the first time in his career, Aguirre led the major leagues in ERA (0.33 points lower than Sandy Koufax who was second best), won 16 games, and was selected to the American League All-Star team. He also led the American League in WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) with a 1.051 average. Aguirre also finished 17th in the 1962 American League Most Valuable Player voting.

Aguirre lost his spot in the Tigers starting rotation in 1966, and returned to the bullpen. Before the start of the 1968 season, Aguirre was traded by the Tigers to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a player to be named later. In one season with the Dodgers, Aguirre allowed only three runs in 39-1/3 innings for a 0.69 ERA. Despite the good season, Aguirre was released by the Dodgers and spent the final two seasons of his big league career pitching for Leo Durocher’s Chicago Cubs where he was 4-0 in two seasons from 1969-1970.

In 16 Major League seasons, Aguirre finished with a record of 75-72 in 1,375-2/3 innings pitched, with 856 strikeouts and an earned run average of 3.24.

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball ERA champions

ources

"The Tall Mexican: The Life of Hank Aguirre All-Star Pitcher, Businessman, Humanitarian", by Robert E. Copley

External links

* [http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Agguire.Hank.Obit.html The Deadball Era]
* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=aguirha01 Baseball Almanac]
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/A/Aguirre_Hank.stm Baseball Library]